Daube de Boeuf with Belgian Ale

January in Minnesota. End of story. We know a thing or two about cold-weather comfort food, especially a one-pot rock star beef stew that will warm you from the inside out. This is “food with a hug” at its best. On the technical side, it’s simple. Resist the temptation to fussy it up until you’ve made it a few times, then you can do what you want with it. —Andrew Zimmern

Preheat the oven to 325°. Season the beef with salt and white pepper. In a large resealable plastic
bag, combine the beef and flour and shake well. Remove the beef from the bag, shaking off the excess
flour. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Add
one-third of the beef and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 5 minutes;
reduce the heat if the meat browns too quickly. Transfer the meat to a plate. Repeat with the remaining
oil and beef.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the casserole. Add the onions, season with salt and
pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, about 8
minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the beer and cook, scraping up any
browned bits stuck to the bottom of the casserole. Add the beef back to the casserole along with the
stock and herb bundle. Bring the stew to a boil, cover and bake for about 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is
very tender.

Gently stir the potatoes and carrots into the stew, cover and bake for about 25 minutes longer, until
the vegetables are tender. Discard the herb bundle. Stir in the Dijon and vinegar, season the stew with
salt and white pepper and serve.